To: Jean McConnell

PAGE 5

Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School

Film Studies Curriculum Staff Writers:Film Studies Instructional Team Supervisor:Jack Shea

Approved:9/18/12Section I: Course DescriptionFilm Studies is an elective that provides students with a basic foundation in genre fundamentals and a critical awareness of film as a textual medium of aesthetic, cultural and ideological expression, reinforcing the personal literacy skills needed for the 21st Century. Emphasis is placed on the acquirement/development of the literacy capacities and higher-order thinking skills needed for college and career readiness according to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts.

Section II: Common Core State Standards in English Language ArtsThe College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards of the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts are complemented by grade-specific content standards in two specific groupings for Grades 9-12: Grades 9 and 10; Grades 11 and 12. The anchor standards and grade-specific standards are necessary complementsthe former providing broad standards, the latter providing additional specificitythat together define the skills and understandings that all students must demonstrate. There are four foci in the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards of the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: Reading; Writing; Speaking and Listening; Language. Since Film Studies is an elective, The Film Studies Instructional Team will utilize the anchor standards in Film Studies, tailoring instruction to ensure collective success. Section III: Students Who are College and Career Ready in Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening and Language UsageThe Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts are aligned with a culminating portrait of a student who is college and career ready in the 21st Century. Film Studies supports the evolution of this portrait. College and career ready students in the 21st Century: Demonstrate independence;

Build strong content knowledge;

Respond to the varying demands of audience, task, purpose, and discipline; Comprehend as well as critique;

Value evidence; Use technology and digital media strategically and capably;

Come to understand other perspectives and cultures.Section IV: Higher-Order Critical Thinking Skills, 21st Century Life and Career Skills and Technological ProficiencyStudents in Film Studies will establish a critical awareness of film as a textual medium of aesthetic, cultural and ideological expression, reinforcing the personal literacy skills needed for the 21st Century and developing of the higher-order thinking skills detailed in Blooms Revised Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives.

This effort will support the development of the skills referenced in Standard 9.1 (21st Century Life and Career Skills) of the 2009 NJCCCS: All students will demonstrate the creative, critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills needed to function successfully as both global citizens and workers in diverse ethnic and organizational cultures.Film Studies also demonstrates alignment with Standard 8.1 (Educational Technology) of the 2009 2009 NJCCCS [All students will use digital tools to access, manage, evaluate, and synthesize information in order to solve problems individually and collaboratively and to create and communicate knowledge].

Section V: Writing Instruction and the RFH Community

Writing instruction in Film Studies is aligned with the philosophy expressed in Writing Instruction and The RFH Community, fostering student engagement in teacher-designated writing situations that challenge them to:

write to improve mechanical proficiency, diction usage, and syntactical sophistication;

write to narrate, describe, and reflect;

write to summarize and report;

write to classify and define;

write to explain how process leads to an outcome;

write to compare, contrast and evaluate;

write to speculate on cause and effect;

write to propose solutions and solve problems;

write to analyze.

See the Appendix for the complete statement of Writing Instruction and The RFH Community.Section VI: Unit SequenceThe following unit sequence is implemented in Film Studies: Critical Distinction: Viewing Films vs. Watching Movies Classics Hitchcock as Auteur The Modern Noir Film Noir Hollywood Opposition The Documentary Film The Foreign FilmSection VII: Focus FilmsThe following focus films are utilized to support instruction in Film Studies. These focus films include:American Beauty

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Bottle Rocket,

CasablancaCity of God,

The Darjeeling Limited,

The Dark Knight

Disturbia

Donnie DarkoDouble Indemnity

Encounters at the End of the World

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Exit Through the Gift ShopThe Fantastic Mr. FoxAn Inconvenient TruthInside Job Hoop DreamsJaws LA Confidential,

The Life Aquatic,

Life is Beautiful

MagnoliaThe Maltese Falcon,

March of the Penguins

Moonrise Kingdom

Mulholland Drive

Murderball

North by NorthwestOn The Waterfront

Pans LabyrinthPsycho Rear WindowThe Royal TenenbaumsRushmoreSin CityThe Usual Suspects

The Wrestler

Who Killed The Electric Car

Section VIII: Texts and Instructional ResourcesThe following texts and instructional resources are employed in Film Studies: The Complete Idiots Guide to Classic Movies

The Mind of the Modern Movie Maker

Section IX: Language Usage Instruction

Language usage instruction in Film Studies complements the development of written assessments. The members of the Film Studies Instructional Team will reference and reinforce the skills detailed on the outline of English Language Progressive Skills 9-12 endorsed by the Common Core State Standards Initiative. CCSSI English Language Progressive Skills by Grade 9-12

By Grade 12, students will:

Ensure subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.

Choose words and phrases for effect.

Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.

Correctly use frequently confused words (e.g., to/too/two; there/their).

Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.

Choose punctuation for effect.

Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.

Use punctuation to separate items in a series.

Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person.

Recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones with unclear or ambiguous antecedents).

Recognize variations from standard English in their own and others writing and speaking, and identify and use strategies to improve expression in conventional language.

Use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements.

Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.

Maintain consistency in style and tone.

Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers.

Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.

Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice and mood.

Use parallel structure.

Section X: Grading Formulas The following grading formulas have been established for Marking Periods 1, 2, and 4 and Marking Period 3. In Marking Periods, 1, 2, and 4, 80% of the students grade is based upon marking period work. 20% of the students grade is based upon performance on an end of marking period assessment/exam. In Marking Period 3, 100% of the students grade is exclusively based upon marking period work.

As a result of these grading formulas, the students final grade for the year is: 85% marking period work; 15% end of marking period assessment/exam performance.

Marking Periods 1, 2, and 4 Grading Categories and PercentagesCategoryFilm Studies

Class Participation08%

Class Work08%

Homework12%

Minor Assessment20%

Major Assessment32%

End of Marking Period Assessment/Exam20%

Marking Period 3 Grading Categories and PercentagesCategoryFilm Studies

Class Participation10%

Class Work10%

Homework15%

Minor Assessment25%

Major Assessment40%

Section XI: LinksState and National Standards The following links to state and national standards confirm the alignment between the Film Studies Curriculum and the performance expectations that have been established by governing agencies and authorities. Common Core State Standards Initiative: English Language Arts Standards

http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/english-language-arts-standards 2009 NJDE Core Curriculum Content Standards (Standards Search Criteria) http://www.njcccs.org/search.aspx [Select 21st Century Life and Career Skills and/or Technology]

Section XII: Curriculum Pacing Guide The Film Studies Instructional Team must confer at the start of each academic year and project instructional pacing using the Curriculum Pacing Guide. This Curriculum Pacing Guide must be submitted to the English Department Supervisor for approval upon completion. The members of the Film Studies Instructional Team are required to assess the accuracy of the projected instructional pacing upon completion of each unit in the Film Studies Curriculum. Curriculum Pacing Guide

Course Title: Film StudiesGrade Level: Grades 10-12

Content Area: EnglishDate Created:

Critical Distinction: Viewing Films vs. Watching MoviesUnit Pacing GuideThe Classic FilmUnit Pacing GuideHitchcock as AuteurUnit Pacing GuideThe Modern AuteurUnit Pacing GuideFilm NoirUnit Pacing GuideHollywood OppositionUnit Pacing GuideThe DocumentaryUnit Pacing GuideThe Foreign FilmUnit Pacing Guide

Date Created:

Section XIII: Unit Templates

The members of the Film Studies Instructional Team have developed the following unit templates for the units that comprise the Film Studies Curriculum.

In each of these detailed experiences, students in Film Studies will:

1. acquire/develop/refine the literacy capacities needed for college and career readiness according to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts, focusing on the anchor standards (Reading; Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language);2. participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative and thoughtful members of a literacy community as they establish a critical awareness of film as a textual medium of aesthetic, cultural and ideological expression;3. acquire/develop/refine the higher-order critical thinking skills aligned with the Revised Blooms Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives; 4. acquire/develop/refine the skills needed to be active, informed citizens who value diversity and promote cultural understanding by working collaboratively to address the challenges that are inherent in living in an interconnected world [NJCCS 6.3: Active Citizenship in the 21st Century];5. acquire/develop/refine the ability to use technology to work with information in a variety of contexts in order to solve problems and to create and communicate knowledge [2009 NJCCCS 8.1: Educational Technology];6. acquire/develop/refine the multi-dimensional skills required of 21st Century learners as established by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills [2009 NJCCCS Standard 9.1: 21st Century Life Skills].Unit Overview

Content Area: EnglishUnit Title: Critical Distinction: Viewing Films vs. Watching MoviesTarget Course: Film StudiesGrade Level: Grades 10-12Core Film Text(s): An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge and Selected Film Clips from Teacher-Designated Films

Unit Summary

In Critical Distinction: Viewing Films vs. Watching Movies, students will learn the distinction between passive and active engagement with film, build a working vocabulary of terms for film analysis, and develop a critical awareness of film as a textual medium of aesthetic, cultural and ideological expression. Students will also be introduced to the writings of Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun and Anthony Oliver Scott of The New York Times, two of the foremost contemporary film critics in America.The following resources will be referenced in Critical Distinction: Viewing Films Vs. Watching Movies: An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Ambrose Bierce Mind of the Modern Movie Maker Roger Eberts Chicago Sun Times Website (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/) Anthony Oliver Scotts New York Times Website ( http://movies.nytimes.com/movies/critics/A-O-Scott/)

Unit Rationale

Critical Distinction: Viewing Films vs. Watching Movies supports the development of literacy capacities and higher-order critical thinking skills through its concentration on unit-specific concentrations in the formal study of film. The formal study of film necessitates the establishment of a common, working vocabulary of essential terminology. This terminology and applied practice will enable students to critically engage with film.

Learning Targets

The Learning Targets for Critical Distinction: Viewing Films vs. Watching Movies are aligned with the CCSSIs College and Career Ready Anchor Standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language Use. The CCSSSIs Standards for English Language Arts Grades 10-12 will be cross-referenced and cited in lesson plans.

Related cognitive criteria, content statements and standardsincluding interdisciplinary connectionsfor Critical Distinction: Viewing Films Vs. Watching Movies include: Revised Blooms Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives; CCSSIs English Language Progressive Skills by Grade 9-12; 2009 NJCCCS 6.3: Active Citizenship in the 21st Century; 2009 NJCCCS 8.1: Educational Technology; NJCCCS Standard 9.1: 21st Century Life Skills; 2009 NJCCCS 9.3: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Preparation.

CCSSICollege and Career Readiness Anchor Standard Concentrations

ReadingKey Ideas and Details (Anchor: 1, 2, 3:); Craft and Structure (Anchor: 5 and 6); Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 7).

WritingText Types and Purposes (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Production and Distribution of Writing (Anchor: 4, 6); Research to Build and Present Knowledge (Anchor: 8); Range of Writing (Anchor: 10).

Speaking and ListeningComprehension and Collaboration (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 4, 5, 6).

LanguageConventions of Standard English (Anchor: 1, 2); Knowledge of Language (Anchor: 3); Vocabulary Acquisition and Use (Anchor: 6)

Unit Essential Questions What is the difference between active viewing and passive watching?

Why are terms needed for the formal study of film? Is there a common set of techniques in film?

What role does the film critic play in contemporary culture?Unit Enduring Understandings

There is a significant difference in engagement. Active viewing requires increased focus and the use of higher-order thinking skills. Passive watching is devoid of critical engagement. A common film lexicon facilitates the critical examination of film and enables viewers to engage in informed discourse on the merits of a common film text. While the film production process is multifaceted and ever-changing due to technological innovations, a common set of techniques are utilized by directors when they create films. The film critic plays a significant role in contemporary culture. The film critic confirms the aesthetic, cultural, and ideological value of film, raising our awareness of art through their critical engagement with the medium.

Evidence of Learning

Formative Assessment(s) Class Participation Class Work

Critical Viewing Guide and Questions

Film Studies Journal

Graphic Organizer

Homework

Quizzes

Storyboard AssignmentSummative Assessment(s) A-Ha Project

Quarterly Exam Signs Film Review Terminology Assessment

Unit Overview

Content Area: EnglishUnit Title: The Classic FilmTarget Course: Film StudiesGrade Level: Grades 10-12Core Film Text(s): Casablanca, The Dark Knight, Jaws and On The Waterfront

Unit Summary

In The Classic Film, students learn the conventions of the Classic Hollywood film. They will construct and revise a social definition of what constitutes a Classic film, view and analyze films that reflect these conventions, and suggest contemporary works that might someday become part of the Classic film canon.The following resources will be referenced in The Classic Film: The Complete Idiots Guide to Classic Movies American Film Institute http://www.afi.com/100years/movies.aspx Roger Eberts Chicago Sun Times Website (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/) Anthony Oliver Scotts New York Times Website ( http://movies.nytimes.com/movies/critics/A-O-Scott/)

Unit Rationale

The Classic Film supports the development of literacy capacities and higher-order critical thinking skills through its concentration on unit-specific concentrations in the formal study of film. The Classic film definition merits careful consideration by students, because the analysis of this unique cultural construct will enable students to appreciate the works that have been canonized and to identify contemporary texts that have the potential to supplement the established body of work. Students will also gain an understanding of the ongoing evolution of the film as an art form.

Learning Targets

The Learning Targets for The Classic Film are aligned with the CCSSIs College and Career Ready Anchor Standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language Use. The CCSSSIs Standards for English Language Arts Grades 10-12 will be cross-referenced and cited in lesson plans.

Related cognitive criteria, content statements and standardsincluding interdisciplinary connectionsfor The Classic Film include: Revised Blooms Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives; CCSSIs English Language Progressive Skills by Grade 9-12; 2009 NJCCCS 6.3: Active Citizenship in the 21st Century; 2009 NJCCCS 8.1: Educational Technology; 2009 NJCCCS Standard 9.1: 21st Century Life Skills; 2009 NJCCCS 9.3: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Preparation.

CCSSICollege and Career Readiness Anchor Standard Concentrations

ReadingKey Ideas and Details (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Craft and Structure (Anchor: 5, 6); Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 7).

WritingText Types and Purposes (Anchor: 1); Production and Distribution of Writing (Anchor: 4, 6); Range of Writing (Anchor:10).

Speaking and ListeningComprehension and Collaboration (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 4, 5, 6).

LanguageConventions of Standard English (Anchor: 1, 2).

Unit Essential Questions Is there an established canon of classic films? How does a film attain the Classic status? Why do modern audiences resist Classic films?

How does a viewer identify the Classic potential of a contemporary film? Unit Enduring Understandings

Yes: a significant body of works has been positioned in the canon of Classic films. The American Film Institute (AFI) is one organization that works to preserve the history of the motion picture, honor the artists and their work, and educate the next generation of cinematic storytellers. A film attains the Classic status for a variety of reasons. There is no set formula. Some factors remain fairly constant, while others shift with time. Passive watchers of modern film resist Classic texts because they lack the knowledge and praxes associated with active viewing.

The knowledge and praxes associated with active viewing help the viewer identify the Classic potential of a contemporary film. Through discourse with like-minded peers, the active viewer can readily determine whether or not a modern work has Classic Potential.

Evidence of Learning

Formative Assessment(s) AFI Film Survey

Class Participation Class Work

The Complete Idiots Guide Chapter Analysis/Comparison

Critical Viewing Guide and Questions

Film Studies Journal

Graphic Organizer

Homework

QuizzesSummative Assessment(s) Quarterly Exam Redefining Classic Film Project Seminar

Unit Overview

Content Area: EnglishUnit Title: Hitchcock as AuteurTarget Course: Film StudiesGrade Level: Grades 10-12Core Film Text(s): Disturbia, North by Northwest, Psycho and Rear Window

Unit Summary

In Hitchcock as Auteur, students will be introduced to auteur theory through the study of Alfred Hitchcock. Auteur theory holds that a director's film reflects the director's personal creative vision, as if they were the primary "auteur" (the French word for "author"). Students will examine Hitchcocks unquestioned status as auteur and see how he has influenced subsequent filmmakers.The following resources will be referenced in Hitchcock as Auteur: The Mind of the Modern Movie Maker

Roger Eberts Chicago Sun Times Website (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/) Anthony Oliver Scotts New York Times Website ( http://movies.nytimes.com/movies/critics/A-O-Scott/)

Unit Rationale

Hitchcock as Auteur supports the development of literacy capacities and higher-order critical thinking skills through its concentration on unit-specific concentrations in the formal study of film. This introduction to auteur theory will help students indentify modern directors who, like Hitchcock, have produced works that demonstrate their own unique personal creative visions. Hitchcock as Auteur will also reinforce student understanding of the criteria used to identify a film as a Classic.

Learning Targets

The Learning Targets for Hitchcock as Auteur are aligned with the CCSSIs College and Career Ready Anchor Standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language Use. The CCSSSIs Standards for English Language Arts Grades 10-12 will be cross-referenced and cited in lesson plans.

Related cognitive criteria, content statements and standardsincluding interdisciplinary connectionsfor Hitchcock as Auteur include: Revised Blooms Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives; CCSSIs English Language Progressive Skills by Grade 9-12; 2009 NJCCCS 6.3: Active Citizenship in the 21st Century; 2009 NJCCCS 8.1: Educational Technology; 2009 NJCCCS Standard 9.1: 21st Century Life Skills; 2009 NJCCCS 9.3: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Preparation.

CCSSICollege and Career Readiness Anchor Standard Concentrations

ReadingKey Ideas and Details (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Craft and Structure (Anchor: 5, 6); Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 7).

WritingText Types and Purposes (Anchor: 1); Production and Distribution of Writing (Anchor: 4, 6); Range of Writing (Anchor:10).

Speaking and ListeningComprehension and Collaboration (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 4, 5, 6).

LanguageConventions of Standard English (Anchor: 1, 2).

Unit Essential Questions What makes a filmmaker an auteur?

Did Hitchcock have signature techniques that helped him attain auteur status?

How has Hitchcock changed the modern movie landscape?Unit Enduring Understandings

In spite ofand sometimes even because ofthe production of the film as part of an industrial process, the auteur's creative voice is distinct enough to shine through all kinds of studio interference and resonate throughout the collective process. Hitchcock used thirteen techniques in his films that heightened audience suspense and forced viewers to engage in a form of cinematic voyeurism.

Hitchcocks legacy extends well beyond the time frame in which he worked. Modern filmmakers continue to use him as an inspiration and model in their own work. On occasion, some filmmakers create modern variations of Hitchcocks originals, demonstrating the timeless qualities of the auteurs work.

Evidence of Learning

Formative Assessment(s) Class Participation Class Work

Critical Viewing Guide and Questions

Film Studies Journal

Graphic Organizer

Hitchcock PowerPoint Presentation

Homework

QuizzesSummative Assessment(s) Hitchcock Influence Project Quarterly Exam Seminar

Unit Overview

Content Area: EnglishUnit Title: The Modern AuteurTarget Course: Film StudiesGrade Level: Grades 10-12Core Film Text(s): Bottle Rocket, The Darjeeling Limited, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Life Aquatic, Moonrise Kingdom, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Rushmore

Unit Summary

In The Modern Auteur, students will heighten their understanding of auteur theory, applying associated concepts to a modern film directorWes Anderson. Students will identify the components that comprise Andersons signature artistic style and determine whether he merits auteur status.

The following resources will be referenced in The Modern Auteur: The Mind of the Modern Movie Maker The Substance of Style (on-line video essay) http://www.movingimagesource.us/articles/the-substance-of-style-pt-1-20090330/ Roger Eberts Chicago Sun Times Website (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/) Anthony Oliver Scotts New York Times Website ( http://movies.nytimes.com/movies/critics/A-O-Scott/)

Unit Rationale

The Modern Auteur supports the development of literacy capacities and higher-order critical thinking skills through its concentration on unit-specific concentrations in the formal study of film. This continuation of the study of auteur theory will help students indentify modern directors who have produced works that demonstrate their own unique, personal, creative visions.

Learning Targets

The Learning Targets for The Modern Auteur are aligned with the CCSSIs College and Career Ready Anchor Standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language Use. The CCSSSIs Standards for English Language Arts Grades 10-12 will be cross-referenced and cited in lesson plans.

Related cognitive criteria, content statements and standardsincluding interdisciplinary connectionsfor The Modern Auteur include: Revised Blooms Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives; CCSSIs English Language Progressive Skills by Grade 9-12; 2009 NJCCCS 6.3: Active Citizenship in the 21st Century; 2009 NJCCCS 8.1: Educational Technology; 2009 NJCCCS Standard 9.1: 21st Century Life Skills; 2009 NJCCCS 9.3: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Preparation.

CCSSICollege and Career Readiness Anchor Standard Concentrations

ReadingKey Ideas and Details (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Craft and Structure (Anchor: 5, 6); Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 7).

WritingText Types and Purposes (Anchor: 1); Production and Distribution of Writing (Anchor: 4, 6); Research to Build and Present Knowledge (Anchor: 9) Range of Writing (Anchor:10).

Speaking and ListeningComprehension and Collaboration (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 4, 5, 6).

LanguageConventions of Standard English (Anchor: 1, 2).

Unit Essential Questions What are some of the common aesthetics of Wes Andersons films?

What is the auteur paradox?

Does Wes Anderson have the potential to grow as a director and attain auteur status?Unit Enduring Understandings

Andersons films reflect common aesthetics. He employs a deliberate, methodical cinematography, working with mostly primary colors. His soundtracks feature folk and early rock music, in particular classic British rock. Anderson's films combine dry humor with poignant portrayals of dysfunctional, flawed and quirky charactersoftentimes a mix of the wealthy and the working class. He is also known for working with many of the same actors and crew on varying projects. The auteur paradox is a trap that some directors fall into when their unique signature characteristics do not reflect the evolutionary process needed to attain auteur status. M. Night Shyamalan is an example of one modern director that has fallen victim to the auteur paradox.

Anderson, to date, has avoided the auteur paradox. He has evolved consistently with each film, retaining signature elements and incorporating new ones. If he continues to do so, it is possible that he will attain auteur status.

Evidence of Learning

Formative Assessment(s) Class Participation Class Work

Critical Viewing Guide and Questions

Film Studies Journal

Graphic Organizer

Homework

Quizzes Substance of Style AssignmentSummative Assessment(s) Quarterly Exam Seminar Wes Anderson Signature Style Project

Unit Overview

Content Area: EnglishUnit Title: Film NoirTarget Course: Film StudiesGrade Level: Grades 10-12Core Film Text(s): Double Indemnity, LA Confidential, The Maltese Falcon, Sin City and The Usual Suspects

Unit Summary

In Film Noir, students will learn how a genre of film has evolved over the course of history, analyzing the cultural forces and factors that have allowed this dark genre to remain a staple of the American Cinema. Students will identify the signature characteristics of classic film noir and see how these representative facets continue to resonate in modern films, including revisionist noir and neo noir productions. The following resources will be referenced in Film Noir: The Mind of the Modern Movie Maker American Film Institute http://www.afi.com/100years/movies.aspx Roger Eberts Chicago Sun Times Website (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/) Anthony Oliver Scotts New York Times Website ( http://movies.nytimes.com/movies/critics/A-O-Scott/)

Unit Rationale

Film Noir supports the development of literacy capacities and higher-order critical thinking skills through its concentration on unit-specific concentrations in the formal study of film. Students will identify and analyze the cultural forces that have sustained film noir since the 1940s and understand how common human emotions and experiences support the ongoing production of dark, complex cinematic experiences.

Learning Targets

The Learning Targets for Film Noir are aligned with the CCSSIs College and Career Ready Anchor Standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language Use. The CCSSSIs Standards for English Language Arts Grades 10-12 will be cross-referenced and cited in lesson plans.

Related cognitive criteria, content statements and standardsincluding interdisciplinary connectionsfor Film Noir include: Revised Blooms Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives; CCSSIs English Language Progressive Skills by Grade 9-12; 2009 NJCCCS 6.3: Active Citizenship in the 21st Century; 2009 NJCCCS 8.1: Educational Technology; 2009 NJCCCS Standard 9.1: 21st Century Life Skills; 2009 NJCCCS 9.3: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Preparation.

CCSSICollege and Career Readiness Anchor Standard Concentrations

ReadingKey Ideas and Details (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Craft and Structure (Anchor: 5, 6); Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 7, 9).

WritingText Types and Purposes (Anchor: 1); Production and Distribution of Writing (Anchor: 4, 6); Range of Writing (Anchor:10).

Speaking and ListeningComprehension and Collaboration (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 4, 5, 6).

LanguageConventions of Standard English (Anchor: 1, 2).

Unit Essential Questions What is classic film noir?

How has classic film noir as a genre evolved over the years?

Why do American audiences continue to embrace classic film noir and its cinematic offspring? Unit Enduring Understandings

Classic film noir is a genre that developed after World War II, capitalizing on the post-war ambience of anxiety, pessimism, and suspicion. These films reflected the tensions, insecurities, and uncertainties of this era and counterbalanced the optimism that characterized popular Hollywood comedies and musicals. Fear, mistrust, bleakness, loss of innocence, despair and paranoia are readily evident in classic film noir.

Classic film noir has evolved considerably over the past seventy years. Revisionist noir and neo noir productions reflect the ongoing evolution of the genre. While the latter variations retain some of the characteristics of the foundation mode, they also manifest differences that reflect the overall evolutionary process

America is constantly subject to highs and lows that almost mirror the exact cultural mindset and societal conditions that led to the establishment of the genre almost seventy years ago. As a result, directors are drawn to noir genre elements and subjects, seeking to construct films that respond to existing cultural and societal issues.

Evidence of Learning

Formative Assessment(s) Class Participation Class Work

Critical Viewing Guide and Questions

Film Studies Journal

Graphic Organizer

Homework

QuizzesSummative Assessment(s) Quarterly Exam Seminar Updating Film Noir Project

Unit Overview

Content Area: EnglishUnit Title: Hollywood OppositionTarget Course: Film StudiesGrade Level: Grades 10-12Core Film Text(s): American Beauty, Donnie Darko, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Magnolia, Mulholland Drive, and The Wrestler

Unit Summary

In Hollywood Opposition, students will study the structure, character types and filmmaking conventions of the typical Hollywood film in order to better understand how daring and innovative directors can subvert this dominant artistic model and the industry that supports it.The following resources will be referenced in Hollywood Opposition: The Mind of the Modern Movie Maker Roger Eberts Chicago Sun Times Website (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/) Anthony Oliver Scotts New York Times Website ( http://movies.nytimes.com/movies/critics/A-O-Scott/)

Unit Rationale

Hollywood Opposition supports the development of literacy capacities and higher-order critical thinking skills through its concentration on unit-specific concentrations in the formal study of film. The typical Hollywood film is aligned with a dominant artistic modelone that has been endorsed by the industry. The hegemonic influence of this framework is pronounced. By indentifying the components of this endorsed structure, students will be able to see how Hollywood regulates the industry and impacts our understanding of film. Through the analysis of works by directors that resist the dominant artistic model, students will be able to see the aesthetic possibilities that come through subversive, creative action.

Learning Targets

The Learning Targets for Hollywood Opposition are aligned with the CCSSIs College and Career Ready Anchor Standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language Use. The CCSSSIs Standards for English Language Arts Grades 10-12 will be cross-referenced and cited in lesson plans.

Related cognitive criteria, content statements and standardsincluding interdisciplinary connectionsfor Hollywood Opposition include: Revised Blooms Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives; CCSSIs English Language Progressive Skills by Grade 9-12; 2009 NJCCCS 6.3: Active Citizenship in the 21st Century; 2009 NJCCCS 8.1: Educational Technology; 2009 NJCCCS Standard 9.1: 21st Century Life Skills; 2009 NJCCCS 9.3: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Preparation.

CCSSICollege and Career Readiness Anchor Standard Concentrations

ReadingKey Ideas and Details (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Craft and Structure (Anchor: 5, 6); Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 7).

WritingText Types and Purposes (Anchor: 1); Production and Distribution of Writing (Anchor: 4, 6); Research to Build and Present Knowledge (Anchor: 9) Range of Writing (Anchor:10).

Speaking and ListeningComprehension and Collaboration (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 4, 5, 6).

LanguageConventions of Standard English (Anchor: 1, 2).

Unit Essential Questions What is the formula of a typical Hollywood films

Why does Hollywood produce conventional films that adhere to a common framework? Why would a director choose to challenge Hollywood by creating a film that does not adhere to the industry-endorsed framework?

How does Hollywood respond to films that challenge the accepted cinematic paradigm?Unit Enduring Understandings

A typical Hollywood film has a linear plot structure, characters with clear motives and unambiguous morals, conflict and resolution. The production involves popular actors and directors and reflects studio control.

Conventional films that adhere to a conventional framework appeal to mass audiencesespecially those that enjoy passive watching. Essentially, conventional films sustain the industry. Directors choose the subversive path for a variety of reasonsthe primary one being the fact that they feel creatively restricted by the industry-endorsed framework.

If the film is well-received, Hollywood attempts to appropriate what it can from the subversive text, incorporating these elements into the industry-endorsed framework.

Evidence of Learning

Formative Assessment(s) Class Participation

Defining Genre Assignment Class Work

Critical Viewing Guide and Questions

Film Studies Journal

Graphic Organizer

Homework

QuizzesSummative Assessment(s) Anti-Hollywood Film Project

Quarterly Exam Seminar

Unit Overview

Content Area: EnglishUnit Title: The Documentary FilmTarget Course: Film StudiesGrade Level: Grades 10-12Core Film Text(s): An Inconvenient Truth, Encounters at the End of the World, Exit Through the Gift Shop, Hoop Dreams, Inside Job, March of the Penguins, Murderball and Who Killed The Electric Car

Unit Summary

In The Documentary Film, students will study the form and function of the contemporary documentary film. Students will analyze how time and truth are manipulated by the director in the text, examining the roles that ideology plays in shaping the viewers perception of the subject positioned in the documentary film. The following resources will be referenced in The Documentary Film: The Mind of the Modern Movie Maker

Roger Eberts Chicago Sun Times Website (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/) Anthony Oliver Scotts New York Times Website ( http://movies.nytimes.com/movies/critics/A-O-Scott/)

Unit Rationale

The Documentary Film supports the development of literacy capacities and higher-order critical thinking skills through its concentration on unit-specific concentrations in the formal study of film. The documentary film is a unique cinematic constructone that is different from the traditional narrative film. The analysis of the processes and techniques used to manipulate and represent time and truth and convey ideology in the documentary film will help students understand how these related concepts are mediated in other communicative contexts.

Learning Targets

The Learning Targets for The Documentary Film are aligned with the CCSSIs College and Career Ready Anchor Standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language Use. The CCSSSIs Standards for English Language Arts Grades 10-12 will be cross-referenced and cited in lesson plans.

Related cognitive criteria, content statements and standardsincluding interdisciplinary connectionsfor The Documentary Film include: Revised Blooms Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives; CCSSIs English Language Progressive Skills by Grade 9-12; 2009 NJCCCS 6.3: Active Citizenship in the 21st Century; 2009 NJCCCS 8.1: Educational Technology; 2009 NJCCCS Standard 9.1: 21st Century Life Skills; 2009 NJCCCS 9.3: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Preparation.

CCSSICollege and Career Readiness Anchor Standard Concentrations

ReadingKey Ideas and Details (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Craft and Structure (Anchor: 5, 6); Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 7, 8, 9).

WritingText Types and Purposes (Anchor: 1, 3); Production and Distribution of Writing (Anchor: 4, 6); Range of Writing (Anchor:10).

Speaking and ListeningComprehension and Collaboration (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 4, 5, 6).

LanguageConventions of Standard English (Anchor: 1, 2).

Unit Essential Questions Are there techniques common only to the documentary film?

How does a documentary films structure support the conveyance of an ideological perspective?

How are time and truth manipulated and represented in the documentary film and how does this process convey ideology?

How does the documentary filmmaker select an appropriate subject for his work?

Unit Enduring Understandings

Yes: if these techniques are used in a narrative film, they are only positioned in the text to support the creative storyline. Specific techniques, editing decisions, and distribution practices that are unique to the documentary film support the conveyance of an ideological perspective.

Visual and rhetorical strategies are purposely employed in the manipulative and representative process, resulting in the conveyance of ideology.

The documentary filmmaker looks at the world around him, identifying subjects that impact the human condition. Oftentimes, paramount political issues drive the selection of foci for documentary films.

Evidence of Learning

Formative Assessment(s) Class Participation Class Work

Critical Viewing Guide and Questions

Film Studies Journal

Graphic Organizer

Homework

Quizzes Transformation AssignmentSummative Assessment(s) Documentary Film Contest Quarterly Exam Seminar

Unit Overview

Content Area: EnglishUnit Title: The Foreign FilmTarget Course: Film StudiesGrade Level: Grades 10-12Core Film Text(s): City of God, Life is Beautiful, and Pans Labyrinth

Unit Summary

In The Foreign Film, students will study recent examples of foreign film that have achieved international acclaim and recognition. Students will analyze these cinematic texts, noting the respective qualities of the works that resulted in their recognition by global audiences. The following resources will be referenced in The Foreign Film: The Mind of the Modern Movie Maker

Roger Eberts Chicago Sun Times Website (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/) Anthony Oliver Scotts New York Times Website ( http://movies.nytimes.com/movies/critics/A-O-Scott/)

Unit Rationale

The Foreign Film supports the development of literacy capacities and higher-order critical thinking skills through its concentration on unit-specific concentrations in the formal study of film. Foreign films are usually restricted to audiences of the cultures that produced them and active viewers from other cultures. On occasion, some of these works cross cultural boundaries, resulting in global, critical attention. By examining works that have successfully crossed cultural boundaries, students will become more conscious of the importance of film as a global art form.

Learning Targets

The Learning Targets for The Foreign Film are aligned with the CCSSIs College and Career Ready Anchor Standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language Use. The CCSSSIs Standards for English Language Arts Grades 10-12 will be cross-referenced and cited in lesson plans.

Related cognitive criteria, content statements and standardsincluding interdisciplinary connectionsfor The Foreign Film include: Revised Blooms Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives; CCSSIs English Language Progressive Skills by Grade 9-12; 2009 NJCCCS 6.3: Active Citizenship in the 21st Century; 2009 NJCCCS 8.1: Educational Technology; 2009 NJCCCS Standard 9.1: 21st Century Life Skills; 2009 NJCCCS 9.3: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Preparation.

CCSSICollege and Career Readiness Anchor Standard Concentrations

ReadingKey Ideas and Details (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Craft and Structure (Anchor: 5, 6); Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 7, 9).

WritingText Types and Purposes (Anchor: 1); Production and Distribution of Writing (Anchor: 4, 6); Range of Writing (Anchor:10).

Speaking and ListeningComprehension and Collaboration (Anchor: 1, 2, 3); Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas (Anchor: 4, 5, 6).

LanguageConventions of Standard English (Anchor: 1, 2).

Unit Essential Questions Is the aesthetic medium of film restricted to some cultures?

How do foreign directors mediate culture?

What enables a foreign film to transcend cultural boundaries? Unit Enduring Understandings

Film is not restricted to some cultures. There is an array of factors that impact how cultures produce and disseminate films.

Culture mediation is a challenging process for many foreign directors. Filmmakers in the United States have freedoms and opportunities that many of their foreign colleagues lack. Consequently, foreign directors must negotiate a variety of forces and factors as they mediate culture in their texts. Political repression and censorship often restrict foreign film directors. A foreign film is able to transcend cultural boundaries when it is characterized by facets of the human experience that are not limited to one cultural context.

Evidence of Learning

Formative Assessment(s) Class Participation Class Work

Critical Viewing Guide and Questions

Film Studies Journal

Graphic Organizer

Homework

QuizzesSummative Assessment(s) Foreign Film Review Quarterly Exam Seminar

Section XIV: Unit ReflectionThe Film Studies Instructional Team must confer upon the completion of each instructional unit in the Film Studies Curriculum and rate the degrees to which the instructional units meet performance criteria established by the New Jersey Department of Education using the Unit Reflection Form. Completed Unit Reflection Forms must be submitted to the English Department Supervisor for approval upon completion of curriculum implementation with a complementing list of suggested modifications to the Film Studies Curriculum.

Unit Reflection Form: Film Studies

Unit:

Lesson Activities:StronglyModeratelyWeakly

Foster student use of technology as a tool to develop critical thinking, creativity and innovation skills;

Are challenging and require higher order thinking and problem solving skills;

Allow for student choice;

Provide scaffolding for acquiring targeted knowledge/skills;

Integrate global perspectives;

Integrate 21st century skills;

Provide opportunities for interdisciplinary connection and transfer of knowledge and skills;

Are varied to address different student learning styles and preferences;

Are differentiated based on student needs;

Are student-centered with teacher acting as a facilitator and co-learner during the teaching and learning process;

Provide means for students to demonstrate knowledge and skills and progress in meeting learning goals and objectives;

Provide opportunities for student reflection and self-assessment;

Provide data to inform and adjust instruction to better meet the varying needs of learners.

Appendix

CCSI English Language Progressive Skills by Grade 9-12

By Grade 12, students will:

Ensure subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.

Choose words and phrases for effect.

Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.

Correctly use frequently confused words (e.g., to/too/two; there/their).

Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.

Choose punctuation for effect.

Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.

Use punctuation to separate items in a series.

Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person.

Recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones with unclear or ambiguous antecedents).

Recognize variations from standard English in their own and others writing and speaking, and identify and use strategies to improve expression in conventional language.

Use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements.

Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.

Maintain consistency in style and tone.

Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers.

Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.

Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice and mood.

Use parallel structure.

The relationship of word to thought, and the creation of new concepts, is a complex, delicate and enigmatic process unfolding in our soul.

Leo Tolstoy

Writing Instruction and the RFH Community

Writing instruction should happen across the RFH Community. Writing across the curriculum is a philosophy that advances the belief that writing is a method of learning. Since all departments are committed to helping students learn, writing must be used as a methodology to advance student learning.

Each academic discipline has its own unique conventions, formats and structures. It is the responsibility of each department to agree upon domain-specific writing praxes, model them for students, and require them to utilize them on a consistent basis. Students must understand that acceptable writing in one domain may not be acceptable writing in another area. The development of domain-specific writing skills supports the overall development of the student writer because all writing is grounded in the writing situation: audience, context, purpose, subject, and writer. Representatives from the academic disciplines must share their domain-specific writing praxes with each other, identify intersections, and determine how to address perceived gaps that limit student learning.

Students must experience writing situations that help them learn how to think creatively and critically and communicate effectively in the academic disciplines. Writing instruction, regardless of the academic discipline, must always reinforce student understanding of the writing situation. When students experience writing situations, they must study examples of domain-specific writing in order to understand how writers communicate in discipline-related contexts. This does not mean information embedded in textbooks. Domain-specific writing is writing that is used to inform and influence readers as it draws them into an established circle of discourse. Students must use these non-fiction texts to develop the close reading skills that will shape their own writing. Focused engagement with domain-specific writing should not be limited to basic reading comprehension and topical understanding. It must also include the analysis of the writing situation that is represented in the text: audience, context, purpose, subject, and writer. The close reading of well-written textsregardless of the domainwill show students the importance of writing mechanics, diction, and syntax. The development of close reading skills will also help the students grow in terms of their ability to construct and advance independent and original claims that are well-supported by evidence. Domain-specific writing is grounded in positioning of claims and the effective use of evidence.

The final written product is important; nevertheless, the learning that results in this production must not be devalued. The writing process is not limited to the basic steps of planning, drafting, revising, and editing/proofreading. It is a complex sequence of critical and creative thinking and writing that leads to the production of a text that provides evidence of learning and understanding. Students must ultimately develop the ability to self-assess the effectiveness of their writing as a representation of the writing situation. Without the use of models that evidence learning and understanding, students will not develop the ability to self-assess their own workthe true outcome of the writing process.

What types of writing situations should RFH students engage in?

RFH students should engage in writing situations across the curriculum that require them to:

write to improve mechanical proficiency, diction usage, and syntactical sophistication;

write to narrate, describe, and reflect;

write to summarize and report;

write to classify and define;

write to explain how process leads to an outcome;

write to compare, contrast and evaluate;

write to speculate on cause and effect;

write to propose solutions and solve problems;

write to analyze.

These writing situations should be positioned in a coordinated, developmental sequence that extends across the academic disciplines.

Upon Completion of Grade 12, RFH students must be ready to transition to the following writing situations:

write to analyze;

write to persuade (argument).

The core foci of first-year college writing courses are analysis and argument. These courses orient the students to the demands and expectations of writing for the academic culture of college. At colleges/universities with carefully coordinated writing programs, students must demonstrate proficiency in analysis and argument before they transition to upper level courses that require them to engage in the following writing situation:

write to investigate (research).